草莓社区

In ninth grade, a bird鈥檚 nest changed the course of James Souder鈥檚 life. While playing around with his family鈥檚 simple point-and-shoot camera, Souder snapped a photo of a nest in his backyard to see what was inside. The bright blue eggs and recently hatched chick, mouth wide open, begging for food, surprised and delighted Souder.

鈥淚 had captured a perfect moment completely by accident,鈥� Souder said. Ever since then, the 2013 草莓社区 (EMU) graduate was hooked.

Today, this passion, along with a major in , landed Souder in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, as a photojournalist through Mennonite Central Committee鈥檚 (SALT) program.

Until a few months before his service began, the possibility of volunteer service 鈥渨asn鈥檛 really on my radar as an option,鈥� Souder said. 鈥淚 was in the process of applying for grad school when the country reps from Burkina Faso reached out to me.鈥�

Souder has deferred his acceptance into Yale University, where he will study environmental management, to spend 11 months documenting the successes of various projects supported by Mennonite Central Commitee (MCC) and introducing the people that run those projects to the rest of the world. He works with Burkina Faso country representatives Sarah and Adam Sensamaust 鈥�03.

Hopes photos will change Western perspectives

Souder is one of this year. However, unlike most SALTers, Souder鈥檚 position gives him the opportunity to work with many partners, instead of just a singular organization, offering a wider contextual understanding of Burkina Faso.

With his work, he hopes to help change the perspective that many Westerners have of what life is like in African countries.

鈥淏urkina Faso is filled with brilliant, vibrant, resilient, individual people, not just poverty. I want to tell the story of people who are investing in their community and improving life for themselves and their fellow Burkinabe,鈥� Souder said.

supports different projects across the country relating to sustainable livelihoods, food security, health, education, peace and restorative justice. Along with documenting the work of MCC partners, Souder is also training staff and local Burkinabe with the skills to continue the storytelling when his service concludes.

鈥淭he people that we鈥檙e supporting often know the best way to improve their own situations, they just might lack the resources to do so. Our role is to support and empower them rather than telling them, 鈥楾his is what we want you to do, this is how things are done,鈥欌�� Souder said.

Serving and singing

This kind of work is not new for Souder. Before volunteering with MCC, he worked for a variety of nonprofits: 聽, the and (PULSE)聽 to name a few.

鈥淓MU played big part in the trajectory of my work. EMU is very focused on service and teaching students how to serve and lead in the global context,鈥� Souder said. 鈥淎t EMU, I realized I can make a life outside the typical job field. There are many opportunities to work by following your passions.鈥�

As most SALTers do, Souder lives with a host family. He says the program encourages its volunteers 鈥渢o get involved and invested in our close community.鈥�

For Souder, a singer since his early days in the that has meant joining the choir at the Mennonite church in Ouagadougou. Unlike most choirs he’s participated in, this one is quite small with four to 10 singers per week, and not everyone can read music.

鈥淭he choir director is a lovely woman from France who has lived in Burkina Faso for many years, and she very patiently teaches each voice part to every person,鈥� said Souder, who considers singing a strong part of his identity. 鈥淭his has been a great way for me to meet new people, practice my French, contribute to the worship service, and wind down after a week at work.鈥�

Witnessing political turmoil

A terrorist attack in January 2016 wasn鈥檛 the first time that Souder has been close to violence in Burkina Faso. Before his arrival, Burkina Faso had been weathering political turmoil since October 2014, when former president Blaise Compaor茅 attempted to continue his rule by amending the constitution to extend his 27-year term without democratic election, and the country erupted into violent protests. After almost a year under an interim government, an elite branch of the military launched a coup d鈥檈tat shortly after Souder arrived in the capital of Ouagadougou.

鈥淚 have a room connected to the house, so I just stayed in my little compound for an entire week, but I was very well taken care of. My host family and MCC staff kept me up to date on what was happening,鈥� Souder said. 鈥淚t was scary, but we made it through.鈥�

In late November, Burkina Faso experienced its first ever successful democratic election, an event that left Souder humbled.

鈥淸Burkinabe] banded together, kept everyone accountable [after the coup d鈥檈tat], and kept that trajectory until the election period was over,鈥� Souder said. 鈥淚鈥檓 really inspired by Burkinabe 鈥� Burkina Faso means 鈥楲and of Upright or Honorable People,鈥� and they have definitely lived up to that standard.鈥�

Back at work now, Souder continues to take photos, which he shares on a widely followed , and to explore his new home.

鈥淚 highly recommend the SALT program 聽to any young people interested in expanding their global perspective,鈥� Souder said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a big world out there. Go out and explore!鈥�